Chapter Thirteen

How did things turn from good to bad so quickly...?

6th of June 2014

It almost felt like time stood still - was this even taking place? Her eyes roamed around everywhere, looking around her as she noticed the stares she got - they've changed completely. She saw how her 'relatives' looked at her with a shocked expression, as if they never saw it coming at all.

Well, she didn't see it coming either - so practically, they were all in the same boat.

"Don't look at them, look at me." He used a hand to cup her chin, making her face him where she looked up to him. He was rather taken back by how she obeyed him, at how vulnerable she was at this moment. He had taken a mental note that indeed, she was only human - she can't be strong all the time and the urge to about it didn't exist. He somehow just wanted to assure her that she'll be okay with him.

That no matter what kind of an idiot he can be, what a 'prick' sometimes he acted around her; he wasn't someone who would hurt her.

A smirk formed on his lips as he stared at her, the evident whispers had echoed in her ears as she heard how their comments about her changed.

"Good Lord... is that her boyfriend?"

"T-They look good together, though..."

His smirk grew wider as he locked gazes with her, causing her to blink at him, "What is that devilish mind thinking about?"

He dipped down, his lips nearly brushing against hers but he kept his distance, "Do you want to show them something they'll never forget?"

She swallowed, one eyebrow cocked up out of curiosity, "What do you mean?"

He leaned away to press his chin at the side of her head, his arms naturally breaking the lock he had around her to glide down her arms before he held onto her hands. He moved her hands into a position for a dance of two - she had caught on quick on what he meant. The spark of wanting to show these people what she was; who she truly is was lightened up. She wanted to show them that she wasn't useless; that she had passion for something that meant something more to her than anything in the world.

And he felt lucky being able to be the one whom she'll be doing it with.

"Follow my lead." He whispered, and she somehow nodded, not wanting to create an argument as indeed, she didn't have the heart to take the lead; at least, not now...

With an arm draped around her waist while the other held onto her hand, and her hand on his shoulder, he had turned around to swiftly lead her to the middle of the dance floor, almost instantly catching the attention of the people who were staring at her earlier. It felt like she couldn't even perform an impromptu based on how she couldn't hear the music - she could only hear her own heart beating against his chest as he held her close. Luckily, she was able to follow his foot movements as he did a quick waltz to start things up; making people gawk at them on how swift and clean their footwork were - and this was just the beginning.

Kai smirked when he had managed to create a circle as they waltz in that shape for roughly a minute, silently telling people to make way as definitely, this was going to be more than just a waltz.

"Are you ready?" Kai's voice echoed into her ears, making her gulp as she could feel how his grip tightened around her waist. She was a bit unsure because heck, this is the first time in many years she'll be dancing in public - the first time in a long time ever since she's danced in front of a crowd but considering these are the people who 'always looked down on her', who always 'put her down to the ground' - she wanted to show who is really beneath who with just her dancing skills.

Because there was more than what meets the eye.

"I... I don't know." She muttered quietly, causing his grip to loosen around her waist where he could feel now nervous she was - he could feel her heart pounding that even though he knew she had the passion to dance, the fear inside of her was preventing all of that passion to unleash; it was preventing her to reveal the true talents she has within her - and he somehow understood that with just those simple three words she muttered.

"I'll take it real slow, Hee Young."

"Is that an insult?" She hissed back, causing him to grin as he looked down on her, both of his hands swiftly going on her waist where his grip tightened in an instant, "You can be the judge of that."

Without a single warning, he had lifted her up in the air as he twirled to be in the middle of the circle he had created with their waltz - it left the people staring in awe, a chorus of applause could be heard as she held onto his shoulders, her legs forming a perfect poise as both of her legs in were in a shape of an 'L' in a 45 degree angle - she looked so delicate as he spun her around; it looked like they had practiced this but to be honest, she doesn't know where this came from.

But one thing for sure is that she felt the connection that suddenly linked them together.

As dancers, it is important to have this bond between your partners and for some reason, she felt that bond kicking in - sealing the both of them together the moment she entrusted him to lift her up in the air. That moment she felt him believing in her enough to lift her up, that confidence he suddenly boosted through her to ensure her that he'll be here to support her - the feeling was undescribable.

It reminded her of how it was years back; the image of her little self being lifted up in the air by a younger boy had flashed up - it was all too similar to begin with that she could only stare into Kai's eyes as she was up in the air, her face partly covered up by her hair but he still could see her sparkling eyes beautifully. He smiled at her as she was up in the air, still slowly spinning her around before he decided to bring her back down to the ground after three delicate spins.

He had his arms around her waist as she had hers around his neck as he led the waltz again but in a smaller circle; ignoring all the stares he got because what he felt as he stared into her eyes felt like something was kicking in his gut. It was as if there was something trying to remind him about something but there was nothing coming up - it was at the tip of his tongue but he couldn't say it.

Not because he didn't want to - he couldn't. He didn't know what that was but there was this certain feeling as he stared into her eyes.

Regardless... it was a good feeling.

"What's with that look?" She snapped him back into reality, causing him to shake his head as he looked away from her, "Nothing."

She tried to follow his look, causing him to grin at her when she had met eyes with him again, "Doesn't seem like nothing."

He scoffed at her, "Well you're certainly in a good mood now."

She shrugged, her lips parted to say something but she couldn't when suddenly someone cleared their throat through the microphone. The two of them had stopped dancing, looking at the stage where she could see her mother walking up the stage along with... the principal. Kai gaped, accidentally giving her waist a squeeze, "I-Isn't that our...?"

She gulped, the waves of regret flooding her as she stared at the two people on stage, "Yeah..."

Kai looked back at her as she stared at the stage - the principal and her mother were now talking about how glad they were for those who could make it. Kai felt his gut being twisted when he saw how Hee Young looked at the stage with pained eyes, how she didn't want to see them when the principal and her mother locked gazes with her for a second before talking about something else.

What's the point of asking her to come if they were just going to ignore her presence?

What's the point of her coming here, then?

Kai partially gawked, blinking at the principal in disbelief - he thought the principal was a good man.

Was.

Now all Kai saw was a big fat reason why Hee Young acted like the way she acted.

"A-Aren't they going to...?" Kai asked quietly, his voice ringing into Hee Young's voice but she couldn't reply anything as she was having a staring battle with her mother. "Who is that?" Her mother mouthed the words to her when her 'father' was talking on the microphone - something about God knows what. She could barely find a damn to give. "Are you asking because you care?"

Her mother gasped, blinking at her in disbelief - as if she was that shocked in the first place.

"Are you really talking to me like that?"

Hee Young shrugged, "I don't know - years of you not giving a damn, I find it hard to believe when you choose to care now."

"You will not talk to me in that way, Hee Young!" Her mother accidentally held the microphone close to her lips, where her mother's voice boomed into everyone's ears. Kai his lips nervously, glancing at Hee Young's mother as now he knew who it was that Kai swiftly broke the contact they were having just to grab Hee Young by the wrist. Hee Young looked up to Kai, lips slightly parted, "What...?"

"Let's go."

She didn't even have the chance to say anything as he dragged her out of where they were, fast and quick towards the entrance of where they came from earlier but she knew what her words would've been.

"Thank you."

"Are you going to explain to me?" He asked when the two had gotten comfortable on the grass. He had taken her far away from both the venue of the spring dinner along with the campus - he had brought her the the riverside a slight distance away from the university. She didn't complain, of course. There were so many things he had silently done for her already that she coulnd't say anything.

Especially when her father had adviced her about tonight, everything that would happen tonight... she let that slide easily.

"Explain what?" Her voice was soft, this pinch of sadness as her finger swirled around on the surface of the water.

The moonlight shining down on her only emphasized on how beautiful she looked - but he bit back that compliment until he got his answers.

"What's going on between you and your mother?"

She let out a soft 'tsk', her fingers suddenly flicking the water that caused a splash despite how calm the water was for a long time now. "Can we not talk about that? At least... not today..." 

Kai gave a nod, understanding quickly as he sighed, leaning back on his elbows as he lied down on the grass, "Today wasn't that bad, now was it?"

She stifled back a snort, "Really?"

He nodded, "Yeah," A grin now appeared on his lips, "Now I know that you're not that heavy for me to lift. We'll work just fine."

This time she snickered, shaking her head as she dabbed the water on her dress as she sat with her legs folded, her hands on her lap as she stared ahead of her where there was a few trees far away - the river in front of her being the only barrier as she stared at it. She saw how it swayed from left to right, making her smile a little; sparking up Kai's curiosity as he tried to get a glance of where she was looking at that he was lost for words when she said sincerely, "Thank you."

Kai looked back at her, blinking slowly as he whispered back, "For?"

Her lips parted, but closed again when she couldn't find the right words to say. He wanted to know what her first words were but at the same time, he could see she was struggling to tell what she was feeling.

She rarely talks about her feelings... huh...?

"For today." She replied, cutting the calm silence that enveloped around them as she glanced at him, sparing him a slight smile that manage to get him smiling back at her. She wasn't done speaking just yet. "I've never felt this way in a long time and..." She found herself pausing for a moment, exhaling silently before she looked back at him, "It feels nice."

She felt this light tangle in her gut when she didn't hear him replying her words. 

Well, it was fun while it lasted. He probably thinks I'm an idiot now. Hah, as if no one thinks that-

"Hey, are you listening to me?"

Her eyes widened, slowly turning her head where she was met with his laughter when she didn't hear what he had said earlier. "What?" 

He snickered, shaking his head as he got up, offering her his hand up. "Nothing, Hee Young. C'mon, we have to go now."

She scoffed, shaking her head, "What's the rush?"

He gave her a boring look, "We have to be somewhere tomorrow morning - especially you. You have to be there."

She gulped, accepting his hand up as he yanked her up, "What's so important tomorrow?"

He smirked at her when the two of them sat down on his motorcycle. He revved up the engine, his body leaning back where he whispered, "It's your first official dance class."

She looked away, her hands already on his waist as if it was something regular; he liked it, though.

"You're kidding."

He shrugged, "Whatever you choose to believe, Hee Young."

Her hands gave him an unintentionally squeeze, eyes nearly bulging, "Wait, what the ?"

He chuckled, "I'm not saying anything anymore."

"Kai, what the hell? Are you serious?"

He simply kept quiet, kicking the stand of the motorcycle to the back as he started the journey back to campus without answering her. He loved how the agony was killing her - it left him smirking knowing what will happen tomorrow.

"So... how was it?" Minseok asked, handing her books from her locker as she rubbed her eyes - she felt so tired, she wanted to sleep it through but she couldn't when Kai's words boggled her mind before he closed the door to her dorm. He mentioned something about coming to the dance hall by 10.30a.m. and with the confirmation from Mr. Kang that today was her first official class - it made her slightly nervous.

The thoughts of her screwing up was too much.

It made her heart ache just thinking about it.

However, the way she was up in the air because of Kai yesterday... that was something that washed everything away.

"It was fine, I guess..." Her voice was soft, her arms still holding onto the books as Minseok placed another book, "H-Hey, Hee Young?"

She looked back at him tiredly, giving him a blank look as she responded, "Yeah?"

He held onto the locker door with a nervous smile, "Could you help me with my photography project? Maybe, stay over at my dorm for the night?"

She blinked at him a few times, a yawn escaping her lips, "Okay..."

His eyes widened, "Really?" He cleared his throat, "I-I mean, are you sure? You have a lot on your shoulders now..."

She rolled her eyes at him, "Then why did you ask in the first place if you-" His hand planted over with a cheeky grin, "Come by my dorm after your last class." She pushed his hand away with the nodding of her head, "Got it." Her eyes glanced down on her books, realizing that she had to put back some books back into the locker as Minseok's hand was still on the locker door. She handed him a book for him to put it back in, Minseok's eyes looked to the locker to put it in that he hadn't noticed who had whispered behind Hee Young as he made his way past her.

“See you soon.” A voice spoke up as she handed Minseok another book. She ignored the voice that rang at the back of her mind but soon her lips tugged upwards when she could tell he left. From the corner of her eyes she could see Kai walking backwards as he looked at her and she waved a hand at him without looking. Minseok followed her gaze after hurriedly putting the book in, managing to look at Kai grinning, as Kai waved back and turned around to walk properly when he successfully caught her attention. Even if it was just a slight wave, it was better than nothing.

Minseok gulped, blinking at Hee Young who had this slight smile on her lips - oh God...

However, he couldn't pay attention to Hee Young when suddenly the chatters of other people got so loud, both Hee Young and Minseok found a reason to eavesdrop.